Old Habits

The first thing I did when I moved into my first apartment on Jane Street -- it wasn't buying cleaning supplies beleive me-- was to go out in the evening at 10:00 pm without asking anyone's permission. That was my idea of being independent. Now I take great pleasure in leaving the house with wet hair because now I know I'm not going to catch "my death of cold." It sounds sort of stupid even to me as I write it but it gives me secret pleasure and I feel independent of anybody else's control. Besides Anahad O'Connor who writes a column debunking health myths for the Times said it was ok.

A new secret pleasure is the ability to duck into the Library on my way to work and browse current books. I don't know when these user friendly hours went into effect but I really like them. And the Library now stays open until 9 or even 10 in the PM.

Maybe I'm writing about some of these things that please me because I am running smack into the teenage years of my 13 year old whose greatest pleasure in criticising me. I understand that she is doing this in order to be independent of me and to create distance but it can be tough to withstand. A finely honed sense of humor is imperative so that we can both be independent and yet stay in touch.